In a very rare event, said to be a one-in-a-million chance, a sheep has given birth to five healthy lambs in a farm in Ballymena.
Local man Des Laverty has always had a passion for farming, but it was after his retirement in 2014 that life presented him with the time and space to take up sheep farming in Crebilly.
With lambing season well underway, Des, like every other farmer, is looking forward to seeing new life in the fields. But when one of his ewes started to birth on Tuesday (22 March 2022), he got more than he had bargained for.
On his knees on a bed of fresh-laden straw and eager for a safe delivery, one by one Des counted the arrival of each newborn lamb and thought he was finished and going well at three.
Speaking to Love Ballymena, Des said:
“I had only expected the sheep to have one or two lambs, and I was very surprised when the third one was born. But then another two came straight after. Mother and babies are all doing great!”
The Crebilly quintuplets - three girls and two boys - are looking healthy and happy, making the perfect ‘ba-mazing’ family.
